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Wedding traditions around the world

The wedding is a solemn ceremony dedicated to the marriage. A wedding is one of the most important events in the life of most people. In different countries, wedding ceremonies and traditions are different and not similar to each other. Here are some examples.

In Tunisia, there is a tradition that the groom gives white slippers to the bride before the wedding. Along with them, the gift set includes white candles, pillows and gloves. While the candle is burning, the bride decorates her hands, lying on a pillow, with henna. After that, gloves are put on her hands, and white slippers on her feet.

In the Ethiopian tribe of Surma, it is customary for a girl to remove her lower teeth for a while before the wedding, pierce her lip and insert a clay disk into her. From time to time the disc is replaced with a similar, but larger diameter. What connection this ritual has with wedding? The fact is that the larger the diameter of the disc is the more dowry given to the bride, because the disc symbolizes the level of wealth of the bride’s family.

In India, according to Hindi customs, the bride’s father meets the groom as the most honorable guest, and washes his feet. The bride gives the bridegroom a drink of sour milk, honey and butter, which traditionally treats the most important guests. The groom’s brother after the ceremony showered the newlyweds with petals of flowers to ward off the devils. To drive away evil spirits, coconuts are turned over the heads of young couple three times. Wedding rings the Hindu put on your thumb.

In Namibia, instead of a veil, the bride puts on a special headdress called “Ecori” and is made from goatskin, which is also rubbed with resin, fat and red ocher.

In Kenya, it is a custom, by which in the first month after the wedding, the groom should wear women’s clothes, in order to fully experience how hard it is to be a woman.

At weddings in Scotland, all the men invited to the wedding ceremony wear the traditional outfit of the Scottish Highlanders: wicker plaid wicker kilts – tartan, jackets and long socks.